Wastewater Treatment System

ABSTRACT

Treatment of wastewater containing contaminants is provided. More specifically, treating wastewater through capture and recirculation of percolated fluid effluent through and from one or more infiltration field systems is provided.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application in a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/214,699, which was filed on Mar. 15, 2014, is entitled WastewaterTreatment System, and is scheduled to issue as U.S. Pat. No. 9,403,692.The '699 application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S.Provisional application 61/790,990, which was filed Mar. 15, 2013 and isentitled Wastewater Treatment System. The '699 application and the '990provisional are incorporated by reference, in their entirety, into thisapplication.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Treatment of wastewater containing contaminants is provided. Morespecifically, treating untreated, partially-treated, and fully-treatedwastewater through collection and recirculation of wastewater from oneor more infiltration fields is provided.

BACKGROUND

Wastewater systems vary in size and scope. They can be sized fortreatment of large amounts of wastewater from a municipality or otherlarge cumulative systems for benefitting many residences, businesses,and industrial facilities serviced by the municipality. The wastewatersystem can also be designed and sized for single home residential useand small scale residential and commercial uses.

In the small scale applications, the system will often include a septictank that can receive wastewater and allow for solids from thewastewater to settle out. The system will also often include aninfiltration field downstream of the septic tank for receiving thewastewater from the septic tank and for discharging the wastewater. Thedischarge is often made from pipes lying atop a bed of material laid forreceipt of the wastewater.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Process, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are providedfor wastewater handling or treatment or both. Embodiments can includerecirculative wastewater treatment systems where wastewater that hasmoved through a treatment media is collected and recirculated back intothe system. In embodiments the leaching field may be lined and may alsocontain collectors, where each collector and the liner itself may be forcapturing wastewater from leaching sources that has moved through atreatment media. In embodiments leach field conduits may themselves beintermingled among each other, much like tines from two combsintersecting each other. In embodiments the collectors or the liners orboth may be positioned beneath the leach field conduits and may be sizedand configured to capture a portion of the wastewater that has left theleaching conduits and has traveled through treatment media. A percentageof system wastewater may be captured to permit recharge of theenvironment around the leach field and also for providing a suitableamount of recirculation of wastewater back into the treatment system.The distance that the wastewater travels from the leach field, throughtreatment media, and into the collectors may be adjusted to manage thelevel of treatment of the wastewater entering the system as well as theamount of wastewater recirculated back into the system.

Throughout the disclosure it should be understood that the wastewatertravelling into and through the embodiments can have changing levels ofcontaminants where the level of contamination for the wastewater maydiminish as it moves through the treatment train. Thus, the level ofcontaminants in the wastewater after is has left the leaching conduitsand travelled through the treatment media may be far less than the levelof contaminants in the wastewater when it is first introduced into thesystem for the first time. This use of the word wastewater is intendedto assist the reader and simplify references throughout the disclosure.In addition, the wastewater disclosed herein may include waste relatedto human waste and may be originating at a single residence orcommercial location, or from an accumulation of residences andcommercial locations, as may be done locally as well as at an industrialwastewater treatment facility.

The collectors and liners of embodiments may be partially or fullyfilled with a receiving media, and preferably a source of carbon such aswood chips, saw dust, corn husks and corn stalks. The receiving mediamay promote further treatment of the collected wastewater, absorption ofthe collected wastewater, and may be replenished from time to time. Thisreplenishment may be accomplished through cleanouts that provide accessto the collectors and any liner. Collected wastewater may berecirculated back into upstream locations of the system by usingvacuums, blowers, pumps, and other recirculative devices. Theserecirculative devices may promote recirculation of the collectedwastewater by moving wastewater itself, water vapor, and gas with thewastewater.

In embodiments the leach field conduits may be connected and orientedinto zones that overlap each other. Through the overlap of zones anddistinct spacing between leach field conduits, distinct leach fields mayshare overlapping treatment media and may, thus, occupy less overallsquare footage than if they each occupied their own distinct area. Inembodiments, spacing between conduits of leach fields from differentzones may be substantially 10″ or more and may be as large as 144″ ormore.

Numerous embodiments are possible beyond those specifically describedherein. The embodiments described here are illustrative and should notbe considered to be limiting. This includes that processes describedherein may be undertaken in various orders unless specifically calledfor in the applicable claim or description. Moreover, fewer or morefeatures or actions may accompany those specifically described herein.Likewise, disclosed embodiments may be further modified, including beingaltered using features and processes selected from different embodimentsand using features and processes in different orders and configurations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a schematic of a wastewater treatment system asmay be employed in accord with embodiments.

FIGS. 2A-2B show various features of wastewater treatment systems as maybe employed in accord with embodiments.

FIGS. 3A-3B show sectional views of subsurface conditions in a leachfield as may be employed in accord with embodiments.

FIGS. 4A-4Bb show top views of collectors from FIGS. 3A-3B as may beemployed in accord with embodiments.

FIGS. 5A-5B show sectional views of subsurface conditions in a leachfield as may be employed in accord with embodiments.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a schematic of a wastewater treatment system asmay be employed in accord with embodiments.

FIG. 7 shows a sectional view of a cleanout as may be used for acollector or other wastewater treatment system feature in accord withembodiments.

FIG. 8 shows a schematic of a system controller as may be employed inaccord with embodiments.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a schematic of a wastewater treatment system asmay be employed in accord with embodiments.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a wastewater treatment system as may beemployed in accord with embodiments.

FIG. 11A is a sectional view through the wastewater treatment system ofFIG. 10 as may be employed in accord with embodiments.

FIG. 11B shows an enlarged end section plan view of the wastewatertreatment system of FIG. 10 as may be employed in accord withembodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Process, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are providedfor wastewater handling or treatment or both. Embodiments can includesystems to treat wastewater constituents, with a focus on nutrientremoval, such as nitrogen, or phosphorus removal. Embodiments may targetnitrogen removal by directing wastewater and perhaps air over treatmentmedia and recirculating captured wastewater back to the front end of thetreatment system. This captured wastewater can represent a fraction ofthe total wastewater treated by the system. For example, embodiments maycollect about a half, third, sixth, thirty-six, sixty-fourth, etc. ofthe total wastewater after it has moved through the treatment media in aleaching field and return this collected wastewater back to the front oran upstream area of the treatment train. Recirculation of collectedwastewater may be accomplished by various methods including pumping, byblowing and by partial vacuum. Thus, collected wastewater as well asvapor containing collected wastewater, may be returned upstream into thetreatment system in embodiments. In some preferred embodimentsrecirculation may be accomplished without creation of significantamounts of sludge in the system or considerable maintenance andoversight of system operation by a system operator or a system owner orboth. Still further, improved power consumption and improved coldweather performance may be benefits of some embodiments.

In embodiments wastewater from a wastewater source, such as a home,restaurant, storefront, or other location where wastewater is impactedby human activity, may enter a septic tank that can provide forseparation and clarification by density of the wastewater. Clarifiedwastewater may then flow out of the septic tank and enter a leach field.In embodiments this wastewater may then travel downwardly, under theforce of gravity, in leaching field and, in certain embodiments, from aninduced pressure gradient as well. This pressure gradient may begenerated by a blower or vacuum moving air and wastewater downwardlythrough the treatment media of a leaching field. For example, a vacuummay be used by itself to create the pressure gradient or to supplement ablower when creating pressure gradients in the system that act onwastewater moving in a leach field.

In embodiments, the wastewater may percolate down in a leach field,through 2″-36″ or more of a permeable treatment media such as sand, soiland/or a man-made permeable material. In so doing, ammonium may beoxidized into nitrate. Also, other treatment directed to: pathogens,dissolved oxygen, TSS, nitrogen, phosphorus, endocrine disrupters, etc.may also occur by passage through the permeable treatment media in thisand other embodiments. After percolating through this treatment media, apercentage of the wastewater in the leach field may be collected in acollector and the remainder may move past the collector into theenvironment. In embodiments, the wastewater that is retained in thecollectors or the liner can be recirculated by a pump, by a blower, by apartial vacuum generated by a blower or by other devices. Theserecirculators may move the collected wastewater in order to recirculateit back into the treatment system and may also channel the collectedwastewater to an exhaust field, a subsequent treatment field, a vent,and combinations thereof. This channeling to an exhaust field or otherreceiver may be managed such that during periods of time most collectedwastewater is recirculated back into the system and that during othertimes a portion of the collected wastewater is recirculated back withsome or all of the remainder being vented or sent to an exhaust field ora subsequent treatment field and combinations thereof. The exhaust fieldand subsequent treatment field here and in other embodiments may be asub-surface field as well as a carbon drum or other treatment mediafield located above or below ground. A traditional centrifugal orsubmersible pump may be the recirculator used to recirculate thewastewater back to the septic tank or other areas of the treatmentsystem.

In embodiments, a negative pressure gradient may draw methane and carbondioxide from the septic tank and overlying sand, soil or man-made mediain the leaching field or elsewhere, and further help provide a carbonsource at the collectors or elsewhere in the system for denitrification.

In embodiments the collector can be a permeable collection device orsystem as well as an impermeable device or system. Whether the collectoris an impermeable pan or permeable collection device, the collector maybe configured to cover a broader or narrower area beneath the leachingconduits to adjust the amount of wastewater that may be collectedrelative to what is allowed to return to the environment. In otherwords, in embodiments the collector can be a collection device thatunderlies the entire leaching area or only a portion of the leachingarea such that a percentage of the wastewater may be recirculated backto the septic tank or other upstream area of the treatment train and theremaining percentage is allowed to pass to the environment. Moreover, inembodiments, only some of the collected wastewater may be recirculatedand the remainder may be discharged to the environment, retained forlater recirculation, or stored for subsequent removal and transport awayand combinations thereof. Still further, other outcomes may also bepossible for collected wastewater.

In embodiments, the wastewater that is collected may be moved into aseparator where solids, liquids and gases may be separated. Any liquidsthat are entrained in an associated gas or as a vapor may collect in thebottom of the separator. The gas fraction may either be returned toatmosphere or to a filter device for removal of odors, greenhouse gases,etc. The liquid, generally wastewater containing nitrate in preferredembodiments, may be returned to the front end of the septic tank,ideally through a spreading device in the septic tank to load the tankuniformly, where the wastewater can react with the microorganisms andcarbon fraction of the tank contents, further providing denitrification.The rate that embodiments return wastewater to the front end of theseptic tank is preferably slow in order to preferably enhancedenitrification. The recirculation rate can be adjusted by the sizingthe collectors, recirculator flow rates and recirculator run times andby recirculator sizing and operation.

In embodiments, a configuration of the leach field may use a reducedfootprint that limits or eliminates loading of wastewater into trenchesthat are too close together. In embodiments, alternating trenches may bemanifolded together into, for instance, a first grouping or zone and asecond grouping or zone, e.g., “A” and “B” groups or zones.

In embodiments, an unlimited number of zones could be utilized (A, B, C,O, . . . Z) with an unlimited number of trenches per zone. Inembodiments with A and B trenches, i.e., trenches in both the A and Bzones, A trenches may be manifolded together and B trenches may bemanifolded together, then these zones may be dosed independently suchthat wastewater infiltration from the trenches does not compete for thesame space in the surrounding soil or only a portion of the same spacein the surrounding soil. In operation, the dosing of the A trenches canoccur and then, at a later time, the dosing of the B trenches can besubsequently made.

In embodiments, the dosing interval between the A trenches and the Btrenches can range from hours to days apart, depending on soils andwastewater characteristics. In embodiments it may be preferred to allowfor the individual trenches to fully infiltrate any given dose so as toreduce competition with neighboring trenches. Preferably, the zonedosing intervals may not be set to close together in order to avoiddiminished hydraulic capacity, treatment and lifespan. In preferredembodiments, dosing may utilize, for example, the A zone for a week andthe B zone for the following week. The one-week rest interval may resultin any biomat that has developed while on line to breakdown before goingback on line. The rest interval can be adjusted for soils, wastewaterand other variables. Still further, dosing intervals between zones canbe set by volume of wastewater being treated such that once a thresholdof water has passed to a trench leaching zone that zone is not used anda different zone is used until the volume is reached and a subsequentswitch can occur. This volume may be on the thousands of gallons andthousands of cubic feet of water, e.g., 1,000; 2,500; and 5,000 perdosing cycle.

In embodiments, dosing can be alternated by opening or closing zonevalves, manual adjustment in a distribution box, and by a variety ofautomated controllers and valves. In certain instances, supplemental aircan be directed to the zones to enhance performance. In embodiments,alternating doses to approximately 33%-50% of the available systemcapacity or rating may increase hydraulic capacity, treatment andlifespan of the system. In other words, in embodiments a portion of theleach field system may alternatively receive doses sized for 33% to 50%of the total system capacity or rating and this reduced dosing may serveto improve hydraulic capacity, treatment, and lifespan of embodiments.Thus, system overdesign can be used in embodiments to promote capacity,treatment, and lifespan.

FIG. 1 is a top view of a treatment system 100 in accord withembodiments. Shown in FIG. 1 are a septic tank 110, a recirculatingblower 130, valves 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, and 127, ajunction box 155, leach field conduits 170 for zone A and leach fieldconduits 175 for zone B, clean-outs 165 and 166, return line 138,controller 140, control lines 141, separator 135, vent 150, collector160, and return line 148. In embodiments, the controller 140 may serveto regulate and control operation of the treatment system 100. This mayinclude sending control signals to or receiving sensor signals from oneor more of the valves, the recirculating blower 130, the separator 135,the vent 150, the collector 160, the septic tank 110, and the junctionbox 155.

As wastewater enters the system 100 into the septic tank 110, wastewaterlevels may be monitored by the controller 140 at the collector 160, theseparator 135, and the junction box 155, and, when a target value isreached the recirculating blower 130 or other recirculation device maybe activated such that water captured in the collector 160 may berecirculated back to the junction box 155 through valve 122 and/orthrough return line 148 and septic tank 110. The target may be set bythe amount of water entering the septic tank 110, a gross volume ofwater to be processed for a period of time, for a certain amount ofcaptured water at the collector versus wastewater entering the septictank, or for other measurable targets as well. Still further, therecirculation may be set for periods of time and not depend exclusivelyor partially on volumes of water being treated or captured or both.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the conduits 170 and 175 may be interspersedamongst themselves in embodiments and flow between them may be toggledby a junction box 155. Thus, depending upon the setting of the junctionbox 155, wastewater to leach out of the conduits and down towards thecollector may flow through either zone of conduits. As can also be seen,each zone may be coupled to a return line 138 that is connected into theseparator 135. This return line 138 may be periodically or constantlypressurized by the recirculative blower 130 and/or another recirculator.

In embodiments, the return line 148 may also serve to create bias ofwastewater flow in the separator as well as the septic tank 110 and thevent 150 may be regulated to control maximum pressure levels in theseparator or to otherwise manage wastewater flow. As shown, a valve 124may also reside in the vent circuit to facilitate operation andmaintenance.

The return line 138 may also serve to create a pressure gradient awayfrom the collector 160 and towards the separator. Thus, not only mayvapors and gas from the conduits be recirculated but collectedwastewater from the collector may be recirculated as well. Valves 123,126, and 127 may serve to control recirculation of wastewater, vaporsand gas. The valves may also serve to prevent unwanted discharge backinto dormant conduits or collectors.

The collector 160 is shown beneath both zones of the conduits 170 and175. In embodiments bifurcated collectors may also be used where thecollectors may be separate from each other and may be configured toreceive wastewater leaching from a single zone of conduits. Stillfurther, in embodiments a collector may also be configured to collectwastewater from only a portion of a zone of conduits. In so doing, somewastewater may be returned directly to the surroundings because it isnot collected and some wastewater from the leaching conduits may becollected and recirculated back into the system. In embodiments thecollector 160 may have a screen, filter fabric, stone or other materialserving to further filter wastewater to be recirculated back into thesystem. The collector 160 may also contain a replenishable carbon sourcesuch as wood chips or saw dust or corn husks or corn stalks orcombinations thereof for promoting denitrification. Cleanouts, asdescribed elsewhere, may be used to remove and replace the carbon sourceatop the collector 160.

FIG. 2A is a schematic view of a treatment system 200 as may be employedin accord with embodiments. Shown in FIG. 2A is a septic tank 210, inletbaffle 211, sedimentation baffle 213, outlet baffle with optional screen212, wastewater flow arrows 215, 293, and 294, collector 280, collectorwall 260, collector media 261, treatment media layers 290, 291, and 292,valves 222, 223, 224, a recirculator blower 230, separator 235, exhaustfield 255, and return line 248. FIG. 2B shows an enlarged collector 280,with a collector wall 260 and collector media 261. The collectors 280may also include several component layers in embodiments, including apermeable geonet layer and an impermeable lower layer, each of theselayers may also contain a collector media 261.

The treatment system 200 may receive wastewater at input 243. Thiswastewater may include human waste and may be originating at aresidence, commercial location, and a plurality of either or both. Itmay also be an industrial facility or other source of wastewater relatedto human waste. Upon receipt, and perhaps after an initial screening,the wastewater may enter a septic tank 210 for further clarification.The tank may itself include input baffle 211 and baffle 213 to promotesedimentation and to decrease the solids content of the wastewaterleaving the septic tank through output baffle 212. The conduit 245 maybe in fluid communication with the conduit 246 whereby the conduit 246has openings that allow wastewater flowing therein to exit and leachinto treatment media layers 290, 291, and 292. These treatment medialayers may be comprised of the same material as well as differentmaterials where the different materials may be of decreasing sieve sizesuch that they do not readily mix with each other. Thus, treatment mediasuch as sand, soil and the like may be located above the collectors 280and, collector media such as wood chips, sawdust, corn stalks, cornhusks, or other carbon containing material, may be located within thecollectors 280.

As wastewater moves in the direction of arrow 294 it may be treated bymicroorganisms in the treatment media. Collectors 280 placed below thetreatment media may be sized and positioned to intercept a portion orall of the wastewater leaching thought the treatment media. Thus, apercentage for recirculation may be set by having the collectors 280positioned below only a portion of the leaching conduits in the leachingfield.

FIG. 2B shows that the collectors may be configured in a single pan likein FIG. 2B. In embodiments, however, as mentioned above, the collectorsmay also include other layers where another layer may be more permeablethan an outer layer. Still further, in this and other embodiments, afilter fabric may surround or be atop the collector and pea-stone mayalso be used as a filter positioned above the collector.

Valves 223 may be opened and closed to allow wastewater to berecirculated back to separator 235, where the wastewater may then beredeposited into the septic tank through valve 222 or blown, as vaporand/or entrained in gas, toward exhaust field 255. In operation,wastewater may not be held for extended periods in the separator 235with the majority of the wastewater being reverted back to the septictank to be sent again through the tank and treatment media of the leachfield 220.

As can be seen in FIG. 2A a controller 240 may monitor levels of theseparator 235 and may serve to control blower 230 and valve 222 forpurposes of recirculating wastewater from the collectors 280 back intothe septic tank or elsewhere in the system 200. Sensors and associatedcontrol lines 241 can allow the controller to monitor levels and providecommands to components of the system 200, including wastewater levels inthe collectors 280 and the separator 235.

FIGS. 3A and 3B show elevational views of the collectors and layers ofthe leach field while FIGS. 4A and 4B show top views of collectors alonglines 4A-4A and 4B-4B respectively. Consistent with above statementsregarding modifications of embodiments, features shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B,4A, and 4B may be used in the systems shown in FIGS. 1-2, 6, 9-10 and11A-11B, as well as other embodiments.

Visible in these figures are collectors 380 and 480, liner 460, leachingconduits 370, treatment media 360, and layers 390-393. The collectorslabeled 380 are shown with wood chips 388 within them. As can be seenthe collectors 380 of FIG. 3A have additional treatment media 360beneath them. Leaching conduits, which are not shown in FIG. 3A, maysend water downward towards collectors 380, where some of the wastewatermay enter the collectors 380 and some wastewater may continue past, downinto further treatment media 360. Thus, in embodiments, the collectorsmay be configured to only capture a certain portion of wastewaterleaching from the leaching conduits. Comparatively, the collector 480 isshown in FIG. 3B beneath the leaching conduits 370 such that the vastmajority if not all of the wastewater from the conduits 370 will beintercepted by the collector 480 and later by the liner 460 foroverflow.

FIG. 3B also indicates distances of depths below surface for each of theleaching conduits, the treatment media 391, and the collector 480 andliner 460. In embodiments, the depth d1 393 may be on the order of sixinches to two feet while the thickness of media 390, distance d2 may bethree inches to four feet, and the thickness of media 391 d3, may bethree inches to five feet or more in thickness. In preferred embodimentsd2 and d3 may be comprised of the same material and would cumulativelybe on the range of six inches to four feet in thickness. Thus, theinvert elevation of the top of the collector may be about eight inchesto ten feet or more below grade. It may be deeper as well, especially ifthe recirculation system is used in a commercial or industrial systemwhere longer treatment distances through the media are utilized orneeded.

In FIG. 3B, the leach field conduits are labeled 370 and are positionedabove or in layers 390, 391, and 392. As can be seen the conduits 370can have different cross sections. Likewise, the collectors 380, 480 mayhave different opening to receive water from above. FIG. 4A shows theopenings as slots while FIG. 4B shows the openings as circles and ovals.Also visible in both figures is that the openings may be uniformly andnonuniformly spaced along the length and width of the collectors. Stillfurther, in embodiments the spacing of openings in a collector may beuniform across the entire width of the collector and in embodiments theopenings may be nonuniformly spaced across the width as well. Likewise,openings may be uniformly and nonuniformly spaced along the length ofthe collectors. The collectors may also have screens, stone, filterfabric, combinations thereof, and other covers to limit particulate sizebeing captured. Still further, collectors may also be open pans, whereall material may be collected therein without traveling through an uppercover or the like.

Wood chips or other carbon source in the collectors may be replaceablesuch that periodically new wood chips or other media such as saw dust,corn husks, corn stalks, or other carbon containing material may beplaced in the collector. This collector media in the collectorsthemselves may serve to further treat the water passing through andbeing recirculated by the treatment system.

FIGS. 5A and 5B show additional leach bed layering and conduitpositioning as may be employed in embodiments. Consistent with abovestatements regarding modifications of embodiments, features shown inFIGS. 5A and 5B may be used in the systems shown in FIGS. 1-2, 6, 9-10and 11A-11B, as well as other embodiments. Leaching conduits are labeled570, the collectors are labeled 580 and the layers are numbered 590,591, 592, and 593. As can be seen, the conduits 570 may have uniformcross-sections and may be buried at similar invert elevations. Likewise,the collectors 580 and liners 560 may be positioned directly below thecollectors with uniform thicknesses of media between them. Stillfurther, the media bed may be comprised of three materials with a firstmaterial surrounding the leaching conduits, a second material below anda third material surrounding or atop the collectors and liners. Thesematerials may be the same material or different materials inembodiments.

FIG. 6 shows a top view of a treatment system 600 as may be employed inaccord with embodiments. Visible in FIG. 6 are the septic tank 610, therecirculator blower 630, collectors 680, leach field conduits 670, cleanout 665, membrane liner 660, separator 635, vent 650, exhaust field 655,controller 640, return line 638 and return line 648. The system 600 isshown with a recirculative blower 630 connected to positions upstreamand downstream of the septic tank 610. In so doing a biasing force maybe drawn on line 638 and on the separator 635. Shutting the valve 635can force more exhaust gas flow to the exhaust field and vent 650 whileopening the valve 635 may induce more exhaust flow back towards theseptic tank 610. The clean out 665 is shown to be in an elongatedconfiguration atop the membrane liner 660. In so doing treatment mediaatop the liner may be removed and reintroduced above the liner for thesystem. In other words, if wood chips or saw dust or other collectormedia is atop the liner and below the collectors or in the collectors,this media may be readily removed and replaced because of the accessprovided by the cleanout 665. As can also be seen in FIG. 6, theleaching conduits 670 are each manifolded to the return line 638 and atleast one of the collectors is also shown being manifolded to the returnline 638. Thus, a biasing force may also be placed on the collectors inthis and other embodiments. This biasing force can promote removal ofthe wastewater in the collectors as well as possible treatment of anymedia in the collector.

Still further, the leaching conduits, as shown in FIG. 6, may not extendthe full length of the collectors in order to manage volumes ofwastewater recirculation and in order to direct where overflow into theliner is more likely to occur. In other words, the absence of a leachingconduit above a collector may make that portion of the collector lesslikely to overflow wastewater down to the liner in that area. Thisreduction in wastewater flow down to the liner may be preferred near theliner edge, at cleanout locations, or at other locations where lessretained wastewater at the liner level is advantageous for monitoring,pumping, or maintenance of the system. As explained above, the featuresshown in FIG. 6, including the elongated cleanout trench 665 may also beused in the other systems depicted in the other figures provided hereinas well as still other embodiments consistent with the teachings herein.Also, rather than have the collectors extend well beyond the leachingconduits as described above, the collectors and liners may only be undera portion of the leaching conduits so as to recirculate only apercentage of wastewater and such that noncollected wastewater may beallowed to pass to the surrounding environment.

FIG. 7 shows a side view of a cleanout 765 as may be employed inembodiments. This cleanout 765 is shown with wood chips 788 and an elbowscreen 789. The wood chips or other collector media may be resident inembodiments in the collectors as well as above liners. Other treatmentmedia including granular media, absorption media, etc. may also beaccessible and removed and replaced through cleanouts in the systemsdisclosed herein. The screen 789 may be sized in embodiments to allowwastewater to pass but to retard or prevent the collector media, such aswood chips, from passing. In so doing, drainage may occur whileretaining the majority or all of the treatment media in the collectorsor above the liner or both. As explained above, the features shown inFIG. 7, including the screen 789, may also be used in the otherembodiments depicted in the other figures provided herein as well asother embodiments consistent with the teachings herein.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a controller 800 as may be employed inembodiments. The controller 800 is shown with a bus 811 in communicationwith a main processor 801, a system manager 802, sensors 817, anexternal storage interface 804, an audio interface 805, main memory 809,serial/USB/Firewire communication ports, network interface 807, andgraphics engine 806. In use, the main memory 809 may store instructionsfor carrying out processes, such as those specifically described in thisdisclosure. These instructions can include instructions for monitoringthe sensors and providing system commands to operate pumps, blowers,vacuums, valves, and gas sources used in embodiments. When sensorsindicate that threshold pressures have been reached the controller maysend commands to a recirculator to stop. Likewise, if nitrogen levels,wastewater levels or other sensed targets are sensed to be high,recirculators may be activated such that the wastewater or vapor or gasmay be changed in the septic tank, the lines, the collectors, thedistribution box, the separator, or elsewhere in the treatment system.The controller may provide for programming or adjustment by a user, suchas a system administrator or home owner. These adjustments can includesetting variations for dosing time, dosing intervals, pH levels, alertpreferences, wastewater levels in the collectors or elsewhere, and forother things as well. In embodiments, these alerts can be sent over anetwork such that a home owner, industrial plant operator, or other usermay be alerted of the status of the treatment system. These statusalerts can include providing notice of the dosing time, dosingintervals, pH levels, pressure, oxygen, temperature, treatment mediacondition, and supply voltage of components of the treatment. Thesealerts may be sent over a network and may be received by a user's phone,tablet computer, or other computing device.

FIG. 9 shows a top view of alternating leach fields as may be employedin embodiments. Shown in FIG. 9 are valves 921 and 922, collectors 980,and leach field conduits 970, 975. The spacing of the collectors and theconduits is also shown on FIG. 9. Valve 921 is shown to regulate zone Bwhile valve 922 is shown to regulate zone A. Typical spacing between theleaching systems is also shown in FIG. 9. This spacing includes fromabout three feet to about twelve feet between leaching conduits of thesame zone and about four inches to about seventy-two inches forcollectors or leaching conduits of different adjacent zones. Otherspacing may also be used in embodiments.

Sensors 930-933 are also shown in FIG. 9. These sensors may be used todetect changing properties of the treatment media, the collectors,wastewater levels, and other properties. Sensed or measured propertiescan include depth of water, moisture content, moisture content oftreatment media, ambient gas composition and percentages of target gasesincluding for example carbon dioxide and oxygen etc. Thus, a controllermonitoring one or more of the sensors can consider sensed readings andtarget values for those sensed properties and operate the system towithin system tolerances. For example, if the moisture level of thetreatment media is too low, the flow rate of wastewater to the conduitsmay be increased or the recirculator flow rate may be reduced or anothervariable maybe adjusted to reach a target moisture level.

FIG. 10 shows a plan view of a wastewater treatment system 1000 as maybe employed in embodiments. Visible in FIG. 10 is a wastewater systemwith a serpentine leaching conduit having u-shaped portions. Thisconduit may be comprised of GEOU 1272 as well as other materials such asconnected rectangular or other polygonal channels with lowerperforations, a granular or other porous material wrapped in filterfabric, and combination and variations of these examples.

The conduit 1010 is shown positioned in a serpentine fashion above acollector and a liner, the collector 1053 sits below the conduit and isshown with dashed lines 1053. As can be seen in FIG. 11A the collector1053 may be covered atop and below by a Geomat 7800 and this combinationof materials (Geomat 7800, collection liner, and Geomat 7800) may bewrapped in a filter fabric 1120. This first collector may extend out asfar as the edges of the u-shaped turns of the leaching conduit 1010 andmay be non planar in order to direct water or other leachate towards acollection sump 1140 for returning wastewater back into the system. Thepipe 1040 in FIG. 10 is shown at 1045 to be positioned in a sump area ofthe first collector. This pipe 1040 may be routed through a vent 1060 tomanage pressure in the line or otherwise vent vapor/gases to atmosphere.The pipe 1040 is also shown at 1080 being connected back to the head ofthe septic tank or other system entry point. Wastewater travelling backto the system entry port may also flow through a distribution spreaderbar.

A treatment material 1020, comprising sand or soil or other material,may be placed around, below, and above the leaching conduit 1010, thecollector 1053 and the liner 1005. This material 1020 may serve as atreatment media for wastewater leaching out of the leaching conduit1010. The material 1020 may facilitate treatment of the wastewater andthe leaching conduit 1010 may be fed from above by supply pipes 1066 and1067. These supply pipes may supply tees 1050 positioned above oradjacent to the leaching conduit. As can be seen in FIG. 10, the supplytees 1050 may be spaced and positioned to coincide with every otherleaching conduit along segments of the leaching conduit. Other spacingand relative positions between the supply tees and the leaching conduitmay also be used. Still further, the supply pipes 1066 and 1067 may befed from a distribution box 1065 that is itself fed from a supply line1030. The distribution box may send equal or differing amounts ofwastewater to each of the supply lines and may also be configured toregulate flow between the supply lines 1066 and 1067 depending on time,flow rate or other variable.

The liner 1005 may itself be pitched, creased, or otherwise biased toflow any collected wastewater towards a sampling port sump 1085. Theliner 1005 may be impervious or partially permeable to allow some waterto pass through to the environment. The sampling port 1085 may bemonitored manually as well as automatically to determine theeffectiveness and status of the wastewater in the system 1000. Thesampling may be used to determine recycling rate and if additionalcarbon was necessary.

In use, a blower or vacuum or other recirculator may be coupled to thereturn line 1040 to promote recirculation of wastewater from thecollector 1053 back to the beginning input of the system. A targetrecirculation rate can provide for improved wastewater dischargequality.

FIG. 11A shows a sectional view of the wastewater treatment system ofFIG. 10. The supply lines and supply tees 1050 are shown atop theleaching conduit 1010. As can be seen an anchor 1105 may be used toalign and hold the supply tees 1050 to the leaching conduit 1010. Alsovisible is that the collector 1053 is angled with a center crease has aGEOMAT 7800 above the collector and a GEOMAT 7800 layer below thecollector 1053. Also visible is that the collector and GEOMAT arewrapped in a filter fabric 1120. This combination of materials serves tocapture wastewater traveling down from the leaching conduit 1010 and toallow at least some of it to be captured and returned via pipe 1040. Asdescribed throughout, a pressure gradient may be placed on the pipe 1040to draw water into the pipe and promote its movement towards theentrance of the leaching system.

A collection liner 1145 is also visible in FIG. 11A. As can be seen thecollection liner 1145 may be at the outer boundary of the leachingsystem and may include a collection line/sump 1128 and sampling port formeasuring system output and for maintaining system operation. Thus,embodiments show how a collector 1053 may be used to retain wastewaterafter it passes through a treatment media, such as sand or soil. Thiscollector 1053 may have a return sump 1140 that allows wastewater to bepiped away and recirculated back into the system. Another liner 1145 mayserve as a safety liner that retains errant precipitate for the systemand whereby the efficiency of the entire system can be measured throughsampling in a sump or other location.

Still further, the layer of the GeoMat™7800 1115 in FIG. 11A, or inother embodiments, can function to collect the wastewater that isinfiltrating though the sand or overburden or overlying material,provide additional treatment to the wastewater and transfer thewastewater further below to an accumulating collector 1053. Thesubstantially horizontal layers of GeoMat™, above and below thecollector 1053 may be functioning or serving as a secondary treatmentsystem below the collector 1053 and as a collection and recirculationsystem above the collector 1053 and beneath the pictured serpentineleaching conduits 1010.

Still further in embodiments, a carbon source, such as woodchips orcharcoal or methanol or the like may be used to further denitrifyrecirculated water. In embodiments, the woodchips, charcoal, etc. may beloaded with wastewater at the collector or elsewhere to maintainmoisture or saturation of the woodchips by the wastewater being treated.In other words, an anoxic state is preferably maintained in the carbonsource, here wood chips.

FIG. 11B is a top view of an end of the leaching system of FIG. 10. Ascan be seen, the leaching conduit may contain an open structure to allowwastewater flow there through and the supply tees 1050 may align withthe tops of the conduit 1010. Also visible is the line/sump 1128 runningalong the length of the system at the invert elevation of the secondliner 1145. The edges of the first collection liner (1115, 1120, and1053) are marked by the dotted lines. The top view of FIG. 11B shows howa sampling port 1130 may be positioned to receive samples from thetreatment system and where a return sump may be located in the system1000.

As explained above, the features shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B may also beused in the other embodiments depicted in the other figures providedherein as well as other embodiments consistent with the teachingsherein.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. Asused herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended toinclude plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specific thepresence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements,and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, integers, steps, operation, elements,components, and/or groups thereof.

Embodiments may be implemented as a computer process, a computing systemor as an article of manufacture such as a computer program product ofcomputer readable media. The computer program product may be computerstorage medium readable by a computer system and encoding computerprogram instructions for executing a computer process.

The corresponding structures, material, acts, and equivalents of allmeans or steps plus function elements in the claims are intended toinclude any structure, material or act for performing the function incombination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. Thedescription of the embodiments of the present invention has beenpresented for purposes of illustration and description, but is notintended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the formdisclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to thoseof ordinary skill without departing from the scope and spirit of theinvention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to bestexplain the principles of the invention and the practical application,and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand theinvention for embodiments with various modifications as are suited tothe particular use contemplated.

Embodiments may also include wastewater that has partially or fullypassed through a septic or wastewater treatment system leach field or adrain field and may be recovered and recirculated back to the startingpoint or an upstream point of the same system. The wastewater may beseptic wastewater and the recirculation point may be the septic tank,other wastewater treatment devices are also applicable. The capture ofwastewater to be recirculated may be made using soils of differentporosities and may be accomplished by using a liner below the septicfield. Also, the leach field may be a sand filter or may be a septicleach field and recirculation may be accomplished through the use of avacuum to collect the wastewater for recirculation. A percentage of thewastewater may be collected for recirculation through the system.

While the disclosure has been described with reference to severalembodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art thatvarious changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted forelements thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Inaddition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situationor material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing fromthe essential scope thereof. Still further, features shown in thevarious figures may be incorporated in the various figures consistentwith the disclosure. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure notbe limited to the particular embodiments disclosed as the best modecontemplated for carrying out this disclosure, but that the disclosurewill include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A water treatment system comprising: a leachingconduit configured for receiving and distributing wastewater previouslyimpacted by human activity; a treatment media, the treatment mediareceiving wastewater from the leaching conduit, the treatment mediahaving a permeability allowing the received wastewater to be able tomove through the treatment media, the treatment media for treatment andpercolation of the received wastewater; a region of increasedpermeability receiving wastewater from the treatment media, the regionof increased permeability having a permeability higher than thepermeability of the treatment media; and an impermeable layer within atleast a portion of the region of increased permeability, where theimpermeable layer is shaped to capture and collect all or a portion ofthe wastewater from the leaching conduit, and where the impermeablelayer is shaped to allow wastewater from the leaching conduit to collectin and then overflow the shaped impermeable layer and flow into anunderlying region for further percolation.
 2. The water treatment systemof claim 1 where the wastewater is wastewater comprising human waste. 3.The water treatment system of claim 1 where the impermeable layer iscompletely within the region of increased permeability.
 4. The watertreatment system of claim 1 where the underlying region has permeabilitylower than the permeability of the region of increased permeability. 5.The water treatment system of claim 1 where the impermeable layer ispositioned to capture only a portion of the wastewater received by thetreatment media from the leaching conduit.
 6. The water treatment systemof claim 1 where the impermeable layer includes a collector mediaproviding a source of carbon for denitrification.
 7. A water treatmentsystem comprising: a treatment train followed by a leaching system forwater previously impacted by human activity; an underlying layer ofsoil, sand or similar natural or manmade material below the leachingsystem; and an underlying impermeable region, below the leaching system,sandwiched by a permeable layer above and below; wherein the impermeableregion comprises an impermeable layer for catching and recirculating aportion of water percolating through the underlying layer to thetreatment train upstream of the leaching system and infiltrating theunrecirculated remainder of the water.
 8. The water treatment system ofclaim 7 where the wastewater is wastewater comprising human waste andthe treatment train includes a septic tank.
 9. The water treatmentsystem of claim 7 where the caught and recirculated wastewater has areduced amount of nitrogen in the wastewater than wastewater enteringthe treatment train.
 10. The water treatment system of claim 7 furthercomprising a liner positioned underneath the impermeable layer, theliner also below a majority or all of the leaching system.
 11. The watertreatment system of claim 10 where the liner is continuous andimpermeable to wastewater.
 12. The water treatment system of claim 10where the impermeable region includes a plurality of impermeable layersfor catching and recirculating a portion of water percolating throughthe underlying layer to the treatment train upstream of the leachingsystem and infiltrating the unrecirculated remainder of the water. 13.The water treatment system of claim 10 where the plurality ofimpermeable liners is positioned apart from each other and belowportions of the leaching system.
 14. The water treatment system of claim7 where the impermeable region has a sump to facilitate recovery ofwastewater back into the treatment train.
 15. The water treatment systemof claim 7 where the impermeable layer is positioned and configured suchthat wastewater is removed from it and fed back to the treatment trainby a remote recirculator.
 16. The water treatment system of claim 15where the volume of wastewater returned is less than 10 gallons perminute.
 17. The water treatment system of claim 7 where the impermeablelayer has a layer of geotextile above it and layer of geotextile belowit.
 18. The water treatment system of claim 17 where the geotextile matcomprises a polymer.
 19. The water treatment system of claim 7 where theimpermeable layer includes a collector media providing a source ofcarbon for denitrification.
 20. A water treatment system, for waterpreviously impacted by human activity, comprising: a leaching fieldconfigured to receive water impacted by human activity, the leachingfield including laterals in a first zone and laterals in a second zone,the laterals positioned above or adjacent to a treatment media, themajority of the laterals in the first zone are interposed with themajority of the laterals of the second zone; wherein the leaching fieldsystem is configured to flow water to the first zone and then ceaseflowing water to the first zone and direct flow of water to the secondzone of interposed laterals.